🔗 Share this article

Only a couple of weeks back, the Merseyside club seemed set to claim back-to-back Premier League titles and possibly a further Champions League trophy. Their ability to secure victories despite not peak displays felt like the hallmark of genuine champions.

But, then the momentum turned. Liverpool persisted with mediocre performances and started dropping points. Meanwhile, Arsenal, renowned for their resolute defense and squad depth, started closing the distance at the top.

Understanding a Slump in Today's Game

Does a trio of straight defeats constitute a collapse? Like most football debates, it hinges completely on your interpretation of the key term. Is Paul Scholes world class? What does "world class" even signify? Is the Birmingham club a big club? What constitutes "big"? Is the Old Trafford outfit returned to prominence? Alright, maybe that is one we might answer.

For a club of Liverpool's size and last season's excellence, a mini setback seems a fair description. During a broadcast, ex- striker Neil Mellor was asked how many defeats in a row would trigger panic. His answer was six. Currently, they are halfway to that threshold.

Pinpointing the On-Pitch Issues

There are clear tactical problems. Assimilating recent additions like Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong, who provide a different style to departed key players Andy Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold, presents a difficulty. Likewise, incorporating a gifted attacking midfielder like Florian Wirtz has reportedly disrupted the engine room. Observers of the Bundesliga note that Wirtz is a creative player who elevates those beside him, connecting play seamlessly rather than imposing himself on the game.

Furthermore, a host of individuals who excelled last season—including Mo Salah, Ibrahima Konaté, Alexis Mac Allister, and Conor Bradley—are now below their best. Actually, most of the squad are. And they all share one profound, recent experience: the tragic death of their teammate and friend, Diogo Jota.

The Invisible Effect: Grief on the Field

It has been just over three short months since the tragic loss of their teammate. While the outside world moves on quickly, diverting attention to other matters, the club's players continue training and playing each day without their mate.

This is impossible to know how every individual and staff member is coping from one day to the next. There is a great deal of projection. Maybe Salah failed to defend in a particular match simply he was tired. But maybe his form is down a few percentage points due to the fact he is grieving for his pal.

Chelsea's head coach, Enzo Maresca, commented eloquently before a fixture, drawing a comparison to his own experience of losing a fellow player, Antonio Puerta, when at Sevilla. "How they are doing this season is remarkable," he said of Liverpool. "Particularly after the tragedy. I went through exactly the same experience when I was a player 20 years ago."

"It's not easy for the players, it's not easy for the club, it's not easy for the coach when you arrive at the training ground and you see daily that place empty. So you have to be incredibly resilient. And this is the explanation why for me they are performing not well, even better than good. Because they are attempting to deal with a situation that is not easy."

As explained well on a popular fan podcast, the reminders are ongoing. They hear his song in the 20th minute, they see his unused locker in the changing room. In the middle of games, a through ball might be made and the realization arises: 'Oh, Jota would have been there.' If Salah showed emotion in front of the Kop a matches ago, it signals that all is not normal.

The Boundaries of Football Analysis and Personal Grief

Having reporting on football for two decades, one realizes there is a fundamental lack of depth in the majority of punditry. We simply cannot know how an player is coping at any specific moment and how that impacts their performance. Jota's death is one of the most stark illustrations. We know a terrible event happened, and we understand the nature of sorrow. Beyond that lies an immeasurable layer of effect on various people at the organization. It is highly likely that a few of the players themselves don't truly understand its influence from one day to the next.

The way the press covers this and how supporters analyze displays is clearly far from the most important factor. On a functional basis, mentioning Jota's death is difficult to accomplish in a brief soundbite before transitioning to on-field concerns. Outside of this particular tragedy and beyond Liverpool, it would seem bizarre to qualify each critique of a player with an acknowledgment that we are largely ignorant about their personal lives—be it their parental situation, health struggles, or marital difficulties.

An ex- professional player, Nedum Onuoha, recently spoke on radio about how his mother's death midway through his career impacted his passion for the game. "I didn't enjoy football as much," he said. "Some of the highs and the lows that accompany it didn't really feel the same after that." And that was half a career; for Liverpool and Jota, it has been just three short months.

The Final Thought

So, whatever Liverpool accomplish this season—be it success or failure—whether or not we don't mention it whenever we analyze their matches, and even if it is not the sole reason for their eventual outcome, we must remember that a short time ago they lost not merely a brilliant footballer, but, crucially, they lost a friend.